Texans stifle Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers 30-6 for franchise’s 1st road playoff win
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Houston Texans have secured their first road playoff win in franchise history, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6. The Texans held Pittsburgh to 175 yards of offense and scored a pair of defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Houston stretched its winning streak to 10 games and advances to play New England in the division round. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud endured a shaky night, turning it over three times, though he did throw a touchdown pass to Christian Kirk. Aaron Rodgers passed for 146 yards and threw a pick-6 on what could be the final throw of his 21-year career.
Brooks Koepka returns to PGA Tour under stiff financial penalty just 5 weeks after leaving LIV Golf
HONOLULU (AP) — Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour five weeks after leaving LIV Golf. The tour has informed players that Koepka will be allowed to return with a stiff financial penalty. He’s agreed to a $5 million charity donation. He also will have no access to the PGA Tour’s equity program for five years and cannot get FedEx Cup bonus money in 2026. The tour puts that value at upward of $50 million depending on Koepka’s performance. Koepka plans to return at Torrey Pines in two weeks. The program is only available to Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith.
Columbus Blue Jackets fire coach Dean Evason, hire Rick Bowness to replace him
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets have fired coach Dean Evason and named Rick Bowness as his replacement. Evason is the first NHL coach fired this season. General manager Don Waddell announced the abrupt change Monday with his team sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference 45 games in. Bowness turns 71 on Jan. 25. Evason was just past the midway point of his second season in charge of the Blue Jackets. Waddell’s first order of business upon becoming GM was to fire then-coach Pascal Vincent and put Evason behind the bench.
NASCAR’s ‘Chase’ returns: What fans need to know about the 2026 format
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR has announced a return to its original championship format, known as “The Chase,” starting in 2026. The new system will feature a 10-race format with the top 16 drivers, without eliminations every three races. The driver with the most points at the finale in Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 8th will be the champion. This change comes after fan complaints about the current system, which included eliminations and a winner-take-all finale. NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell says the new format aims to reward performance and honor the sport’s history. The focus is on consistency and aggressive racing.
Real Madrid gets rid of Xabi Alonso and promotes B team manager Álvaro Arbeloa
MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid has replaced coach Xabi Alonso with B team manager Álvaro Arbeloa to no surprise. They were teammates at Madrid, Liverpool and Spain. Madrid says Alonso left by mutual agreement capping a tumultuous stint that lasted less than eight months. The midfield great arrived in May under high expectations as Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement. The announcement comes a day after Madrid lost to Barcelona 3-2 in the final of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Arizona strengthens hold on No. 1 in AP Top 25; Vanderbilt cracks top 10
Arizona has tightened its hold on the top spot in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll after Michigan’s loss to Wisconsin. The Wildcats received 60 of 61 first-place votes. Iowa State moved up to No. 2, followed by UConn, Michigan and Purdue. Nebraska moved up two spots to No. 8 to match its highest-ever ranking set in February 1966. Vanderbilt hit No. 10 for its first top-10 ranking since the 2011-12 preseason poll. No. 19 Florida, No. 22 Clemson, No. 23 Utah State and No. 25 Seton Hall were the new additions to the poll. Kansas, SMU and UCF fell out.
UConn unanimous No. 1 as South Carolina climbs to No. 2 in AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll
South Carolina climbed to No. 2 in the latest AP women’s basketball Top 25. The reshuffle follows a week where four of the top 10 teams lost. UConn is No. 1. LSU and TCU jumped into the top 10, with LSU moving to No. 6 after beating Texas. Texas dropped to fourth, while No. 5 Vanderbilt has its highest ranking since 2002. Maryland and Oklahoma fall out of the top 10, and Alabama, Notre Dame, and Illinois entered the poll. The SEC leads with nine teams in the Top 25.
Koepka says he has ‘a lot of work to do’ with PGA Tour players upon his return
HONOLULU (AP) — Brooks Koepka is expecting plenty of nerves when he returns to the PGA Tour in two weeks at Torrey Pines. And it’s not just about golf. Koepka says he has work to do with players who are upset by the PGA Tour creating a one-time program that allowed him to return from LIV Golf. Koepka says in an interview with the AP he is prepared to handle any negativity. He says the path back was never supposed to be easy. There’s also the financial side. He has no access to equity. The tour says that could be worth some $50 million.
Former Raptors star Kyle Lowry gets huge ovation in four-quarter cameo as 76ers win in Toronto
TORONTO (AP) — It was a brief cameo at the end of a blowout win, but it meant everything to Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry. The six-time All-Star got a rousing standing ovation when he checked in for the final 1:57 of a 115-102 win at Toronto on Monday night. It could be the final appearance the 39-year-old makes in the city where he spent nine seasons and won the 2019 NBA championship.
No. 1 Indiana, No. 10 Miami should be near full strength for national championship game
No. 10 Miami needs everything at its disposal to slow down top-seeded Indiana’s high-scoring offense in next week’s College Football Playoff championship. The good news is that the Hurricanes defense should be at or near full strength. Coach Mario Cristobal told reporters Monday he expects defensive linemen Ahkeem Mesidor and Ahmad Moten, as well as cornerback OJ Frederique, to be ready to play in next week’s title game. Mesidor and Moten were both injured during last week’s dramatic 31-27 victory, but returned later. Frederique was injured during Miami’s surprising 24-14 Cotton Bowl victory over No. 2 Ohio State and did not play in the Fiesta Bowl. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti had no new additions to his injury list.
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